Jumping-bar.



No. 662,8I0. Patented Nov. 27. |900..

T. F. PEAK.

JUMPING BAR.

(Application led Feb. 16, 1900.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Shoot l.

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No. 662,8I0. Patented Nov. 27, |900.

` T. F. PEAK.

JUMPING BAR.

(Application mea Feb. 1e, 1900.14

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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llnirun Fratte Partnr @einem THOMAS F. PEAK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

JUMPINGMBAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,810, dated November 2i?, 1900.

Application filed February 16, 1900. Serial No. 5,468. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, THOMAS F. PEAK, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in JumpingBars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in jumping-bars, and has for its objects to provide a jumping-bar that will yield to the slightest pressure, and thereby offer no resistance to the jumperif he should touch the same, and also to provide means whereby the cross-bars will return automatically to their normal position when so displaced by the body of the jumper, thus saving considerable time and labor, for in the jumping-bars now in use the string or bar has to be replaced in notches or pins whenever it is removed by striking the body of the jumper.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will nowbe described in detaihreferring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, in which- Figure l represents a front elevation of my jumping-bar; Fig. 2, an enlarged detail of one of the retaining devices; Fig. 3, a plan view; Fig. 4, a section at line a; a: of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing an alarm apparatus secured to the retaining device; Fig. 5, a detail view of aspring-clip for holding the cross-rods in elevation, and Fig. 6 is a crossssection of Fig. 5.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, A A represent the standards, which are secured to the iioor in any suitable manner, and sliding on each of these standards are retaining devices B B. These retaining devices have formed therewith the collars C, which slide upon the standards A and are made adj nstable thereon by means of the setscrews D. Formed with the device B is an extension E.

F is a universal link, one member of which passes through a hole in the end of the eXtension E and the other member is securely fastened to the socket G.

H H are guides formed with the retaining -device B, and between these guides is formed an opening I, through which the inner end of the socket G protrudes. Secured to the outer end of the socket G is a spring J, the other end of this spring being secured to the eXtension K of the retaining device B. B y the fact of the socket G being pivoted by the link F at a point between its two ends the springJ exerting pressure downward upon the outer end of the socket will cause the inner end of the socket to seek the highest possible position allowed by the guides H. When in this normal position, the socket will be perfectly horizontal.

L L are light rods, their inner ends being inserted within the socket G and secured therein by suitable means and their inner ends meeting midway between the standards A A. It will be seen that when these rods L are in their normal position they will lie perfectly horizontal and at right angles to the standards A.

rlhe sockets G at the outer end may be weighted in any suitable manner, such as inserting lead in the outer end thereof, so that the socket G and rod L will be of about equal weight upon each side of the link F, thereby balancing the same, so that the spring J will only have to exert a slight pressure upon the outer end of the socket to retain the rods in their normal position, in which case the rods L will respond and yield to the slightest touch.

The guides H are made of such a shape that they will allow the socket Gand the rods L to swing freely, so as to allow the jumper to pass them without oifering the slightest resistance. If necessary, they can he swung downward to a vertical position, and when the pressure is released they are instantly returned to their normal position and are ready for the next jumper.

In important jumping contests it might be necessary to have some means for positively indicating whether a jumper had touched the rods in clearing them or not. It might be that a jumper would touch the rods just slightly and the rods be returned to their nor- IOO mal position so quickly that it would escape the eyes of some of the judges, and thereby cause a discussion whether or not the jumper had touched the rods. One way to guard against this I have illustrated in Fig. 4c. It consists in securing a bell M upon some portion of the retaining devices B, this bell having.a lever N extending inside of the bell to the ringing mechanism, the outer end of this lever being in contact with the rod L of socket G, so that the slightest movement of the rod will cause the bell to be sounded. Another method I have shown in Fig. 5, which consists of having a spring-clip O secured to the inner end of one of t-he rods L and having eX- tending outward therefrom the spring-fingers PP. These fingers are formed as shown in Fig. 6 and are adapted to grasp the opposite rod L with a very slight pressure, and thus hold the two rods L in alinement; but if the jumper in passing over the rod should touch these rods the spring-clip will be disengaged and the rods in returning will be held out of alinement, and thereby will show conclusively that the rods have been touched. Before the next jump the rods are pressed back in alinement by hand.

The constructions shown in Figs. 4C and 5 may be both used at the same time, if desirable.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction here shown, as slight modiications can be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is 1. In a jumping-bar, standards, a retaining apparatus adapted to be adjustably secured upon the standards, cross-rods pivoted to said retaining apparatus, guides formed with the retaining apparatus for the purpose of guiding the cross-rods to their normal position, and an elastic meansfor returning and holding the cross-rods in their normal position, as specified.

2. In a jumping-bar, the combination of suitable standards with a retaining apparatus, collars formed with said retaining apparatus, means for adjusting the collars upon the standards, cross-rods extending between the standards and in their normal position being at right angles thereto, sockets into which the outer ends of the cross-rods are secured, extensions formed with the retaining apparatus, pivotal connections between said eX- tensions and said sockets, elastic connections between the extreme outer ends of the sockets and retaining apparatus, and guides formed with the retaining apparatus for the proper guiding of the cross-bars to their normal position, substantially as shown and specified.

3. In combination with a swinging jumping-rod, a lever operated by the rod, and snitable connections whereby the movement of the lever sounds an alarm.

4E. In combination with a device of the character described, a spring-clip secured to one of the rods L and adapted to grasp the other rod L with slight pressure to retain the said rods in perfect alinement and in their normal position, said pressure being so slight as to permit the rods to yield to a slight touch so as to disengage the said spring-clip from the opposite rod so that when the rods return they will be held out of alinement until replaced by hand, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS F. PEAK.

Witnesses:

MARY E. HAMER, E. H. FoRsYTH. 

